AMC is officially moving forward with a series adaptation of Anne Rice’s “Interview With the Vampire.”
News of the series order comes just over a year after Variety exclusively reported that AMC had acquired the rights to Rice’s book series “The Vampire Chronicles” and “The Lives of the Mayfair Witches.” “Interview With the Vampire” is the first series to be greenlit out of the acquisition.
The cabler has given the series an eight episode order with an eye toward a 2022 debut on both AMC and AMC Plus. Rolin Jones will serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner on the series under his overall deal with AMC Studios. Mark Johnson will executive produce under his overall deal with AMC Studios as well, with Anne Rice and Christopher Rice also executive producing.
Johnson has a long history with AMC Networks, having worked as an executive producer on shows like “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul,” “Halt and Catch Fire,” and “Rectify.” In addition to executive producing “Interview with the Vampire,” he will lead AMC’s efforts to develop the full Anne Rice collection for streaming and television. “Interview with a Vampire” was previously adapted into a feature in 1994 starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst and Antonio Banderas.
“This is a day we have been looking forward to since we acquired this legendary Anne Rice collection a little more than a year ago,” said Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks and AMC Studios. “This story already has millions of fans in the U.S. and around the world, we can’t wait to share this new interpretation of the classic brought to life by Rolin and Mark, as we continue to work on developing the entire collection. With ‘The Walking Dead,’ this Anne Rice collection and our majority stake in Agatha Christie Limited through our own Acorn TV, we are proud to have the stewardship of three unique, fan-forward and beloved franchises and universes, which we are only just beginning to explore. We are also thrilled to have Mark, a world class producer we have previously worked with on iconic series like ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘Rectify,’ ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ on board at the helm of our efforts to develop an entire Anne Rice universe, with significant aspirations for these beloved stories and characters.”
The acquisition deal encompassed 18 titles between the two book series, which together have sold more than 150 million copies worldwide. Among the books in the two series are “Interview with the Vampire,” “Queen of the Damned,” “The Vampire Lestat,” and “The Witching Hour.”
“The challenge of adapting for television the groundbreaking and immensely compelling work of Anne Rice is both intimidating and exhilarating,” Johnson said. “Having previously produced films from such singular works, I recognize both the responsibility and the obligation we owe the material. I strongly believe that with AMC and Rolin Jones we are equipped to meet this challenge and to thrill and entertain both the loyal Anne Rice fan and the viewer who is just now discovering her work.”
Anne Rice is a New York Times Bestselling author of over 30 novels. Her first novel, “Interview with the Vampire,” was published in 1976 and has become one of bestselling novels worldwide A New York Times Bestselling and award-winning novelist in his own right, Christopher Rice has collaborated with Anne on multiple novels. Together with his producing partner, fellow New York Times Bestselling novelist Eric Shaw Quinn, he runs the podcast and video network TDPS.
“In 1973, a grieving mother and extraordinary writer began what would become the finest Vampire novel ever written (all respects to Mr. Stoker),” Jones said. “Nearly fifty years later we know what’s expected of us. We know how much this book and the ones that follow mean to their massive fan base. We feel you over our shoulders as we tend the Savage Garden. Louis and Lestat are coming out of hiding and we can’t wait to re-unite them with you.”